Surgical stapling and cutting device

Abstract

A medical device includes a control handle, an end effector, and a passive articulating joint connecting the end effector to the handle. The handle has a stapling actuator, an articulation joint actuator different from the stapling actuator, and a body through which the stapling and articulation joint actuators traverse. The end effector has an anvil, a stapler cartridge with staples, and an anvil-cartridge control device connected thereto and to the stapling actuator and staples when the stapling actuator is actuated. The stapling actuator passes through the articulating joint and flexes correspondingly to articulation of the articulating joint. The articulation joint actuator, when unactuated, holds the articulation joint and, thereby, the end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position, and, when actuated, releases the articulation joint into its freely articulating state to permit free articulation of the end effector dependent upon external forces acting upon the end effector.

1. A medical device, comprising:
 a control handle having:
 a stapling actuator; 
 an articulation joint actuator different from said stapling actuator and having an unactuated state and an actuated state; and 
 a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator traverse, said body defining a longitudinal axis; 
 
 a surgical stapling end effector having:
 an anvil; 
 a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; and 
 an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; 
 
 a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating about an articulation axis; 
 a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and 
 no portion of said articulation joint actuator passing entirely through said passive articulating joint, 
 said articulation joint actuator:
 when in said unactuated state, holding said passive articulation joint and, thereby, said end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position; and 
 when in said actuated state, releasing said passive articulation joint into a freely articulating state to permit free articulation of said end effector that is solely dependent upon forces external to said medical device and applied to said end effector through direct contact with an exterior surface of said end effector. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein said articulation joint actuator, when in said actuated state, releases said passive articulation joint into a freely articulating state to permit free articulation of said end effector with respect to said control handle dependent upon external forces acting upon said end effector. 
     
     
       3. The medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein said articulation joint actuator, when in said actuated state, releases said passive articulation joint into a freely articulating state to permit free articulation of said end effector about said articulation axis dependent upon external forces acting upon said end effector. 
     
     
       4. The medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein said articulation axis of said passive articulating joint is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       5. The medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said surgical stapling end effector has a cutting device with a blade; 
 said stapling actuator of said control handle has:
 a stapler closing actuator closing said anvil and said stapler cartridge when actuated; and 
 a staple firing actuator stapling said at least one staple and cutting with said cutting device when actuated; and 
 
 said stapler closing actuator and said staple firing actuator are different from said articulation joint actuator. 
 
     
     
       6. The medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said longitudinal axis of said body is a first longitudinal axis; 
 said end effector has a second longitudinal axis; 
 at least one of said control handle, said end effector, and said passive articulating joint has an alignment device; and 
 said alignment device biases said end effector to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is actuated. 
 
     
     
       7. The medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said articulation joint actuator has a pull-lock with distally directed teeth; and 
 said stapling end effector has a gear with proximally directed teeth:
 interlocked with said distally directed teeth when said articulation joint actuator is in said unactuated state; and 
 disengaged from said distally directed teeth when said articulation joint actuator is in said actuated state to, thereby, release said passive articulation joint into said freely articulating state. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein said articulation joint actuator is a pull-to-release and release-to-relock trigger assembly. 
     
     
       9. The medical device according to  claim 1 , wherein said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator are one-handed actuators. 
     
     
       10. A medical device, comprising:
 a control handle having:
 a stapling actuator; 
 an articulation joint actuator different from said stapling actuator and having an unactuated state and an actuated state; and 
 a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator traverse, said body defining a longitudinal axis; 
 
 a surgical stapling end effector having:
 an anvil; 
 a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; 
 an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; and 
 an articulation lock; 
 
 a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating about an articulation axis; 
 a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and 
 no portion of said articulation joint actuator passing entirely through said passive articulating joint, said articulation joint actuator:
 when in said unactuated state, being connected to said articulation lock and, thereby, locking said passive articulation joint in a given articulated position to hold said end effector in position; and 
 when in said actuated state, being disconnected from said articulation lock and, thereby, articulatingly releasing said passive articulation joint to articulate freely and solely dependent upon a force external to said medical device and applied to said end effector through direct contact with an exterior surface of said end effector. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The medical device according to  claim 10 , wherein said articulation joint actuator, when in said actuated state, is disconnected from said articulation lock to, thereby, articulatingly release said passive articulation joint with respect to said control handle. 
     
     
       12. The medical device according to  claim 10 , wherein said articulation joint actuator, when in said actuated state, is disconnected from said articulation lock to, thereby articulatingly release said passive articulation joint about said articulation axis. 
     
     
       13. The medical device according to  claim 10 , wherein said articulation axis of said passive articulating joint is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       14. The medical device according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 said surgical stapling end effector has a cutting device with a blade; 
 said stapling actuator of said control handle has:
 a stapler closing actuator closing said anvil and said stapling cartridge when actuated; and 
 a staple firing actuator stapling said at least one staple and cutting with said cutting device when actuated; and 
 
 said stapler closing actuator and said staple firing actuator are different from said articulation joint actuator. 
 
     
     
       15. The medical device according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 said longitudinal axis of said body is a first longitudinal axis; 
 said end effector has a second longitudinal axis; 
 at least one of said control handle, said end effector, and said passive articulating joint has an alignment device; and 
 said alignment device biases said end effector to substantially align said first and second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is actuated. 
 
     
     
       16. The medical device according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 said articulation joint actuator has a pull-lock with distally directed teeth; and 
 said articulation lock is a gear with proximally directed teeth:
 interlocked with said distally directed teeth when said articulation joint actuator is in said unactuated state; and 
 disengaged from said distally directed teeth when said articulation joint actuator is in said actuated state to, thereby, release said passive articulation joint to articulate freely dependent upon the external force. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The medical device according to  claim 10 , wherein said articulation joint actuator is a pull-to-release and release-to-relock trigger assembly. 
     
     
       18. The medical device according to  claim 10 , wherein said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator are one-handed actuators. 
     
     
       19. A medical device, comprising:
 a control handle having:
 a stapling actuator; 
 a pull-to-release and release-to-relock articulation joint actuator different from said stapling actuator and having a unactuated state in which said articulation joint actuator is at rest and an actuated state in which said articulation joint actuator is translated in a proximal direction; and 
 a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation joint actuator traverse, said body defining a longitudinal axis; 
 
 a surgical stapling end effector having:
 an anvil; 
 a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; 
 an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; and 
 an articulation lock; 
 
 a passive articulating joint connecting said stapling end effector to said control handle and articulating said stapling end effector about an articulation axis; 
 a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passive articulating joint and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passive articulating joint; and 
 no portion of said articulation joint actuator passing entirely through said passive articulating joint, said articulation joint actuator:
 when at rest in said unactuated state, being connected to said articulation lock and, thereby, locking said passive articulation joint in a given articulated position to hold said end effector in position; and 
 when proximally translated in said actuated state, being disconnected from said articulation lock and, thereby, articulatingly releasing said passive articulation joint to articulate freely and solely dependent upon a force external to said medical device and applied to said end effector through direct contact with an exterior surface of said end effector. 
 
 
     
     
       20. A medical device, comprising:
 a control handle having:
 a stapling actuator; 
 means for unlocking articulation different from said stapling actuator and having a locked state and an unlocked state; and 
 a body through which said stapling actuator and said articulation unlocking means traverse; 
 
 a surgical stapling end effector having:
 an anvil; 
 a stapler cartridge having at least one staple; and 
 an anvil-cartridge control device operatively connected to said stapling actuator, said anvil, and said stapler cartridge and stapling said at least one staple when said stapling actuator is actuated; 
 
 means for passively articulating said stapling end effector with respect to said control handle; 
 a portion of said stapling actuator passing through said passively articulating means and flexing in a corresponding manner to an articulation of said passively articulating means; and 
 no portion of said articulation unlocking means passing entirely through said passive articulating means, said articulation unlocking means:
 when in said locked state, holding said end effector in a substantially fixed articulation position; and 
 when in said unlocked state, releasing said end effector into a freely articulating state to articulate freely and solely dependent upon forces external to said medical device and applied to said end effector through direct contact with an exterior surface of said end effector.